So, What is Nutritional Yeast?

What is nutritional yeast? I get this question a lot, and the simple answer is: one of my favorite things in the kitchen.

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, so it won't make things rise and is not a replacement for yeast when baking.

If you're like me and on a first name basis with it, you might call it nooch. It is also known as savoury yeast flakes or brufax.

It has a cheesy, nutty flavor that you can use in sauces or as a topping, like sprinkled on popcorn.

It is most often used to make that cheesy flavor in a vegan dish, like in my Mock Tuna Salad, Charleston Grits (pg. 31, EHH), or any of the cheese sauces in HHC.

Nutritional yeast can be bought online or at most health food stores, and comes either as a powder or flakes. It is a complete protein, a good source of vitamins and is dairy & gluten free. Most brands are also fortified with B-12.

It took me several times before I got used to it, I thought it was smelly. Now I can't stay away from it. I put it on almost everything, from soups to bean burritos!